


I Lost My Head Again

by Slinkyfox



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Concussions, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Nausea, Sickfic, Smoking, Swearing, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28805046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slinkyfox/pseuds/Slinkyfox
Summary: My take on what might have happened after the Cody boys all meet up after the music festival heist in 4x08. Deran and Craig head out to stage an accident using Deran's van to explain why they're all banged up. Inspired by Craig saying "Feel like I'm gonna puke" when they're trying to get their bearings at Deran's bar after the job goes south.If you don't like it or if this isn't really your thing then please don't read! :)
Kudos: 11





	I Lost My Head Again

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic and I'm a little (very) shy about sharing my writing, so please be nice and go easy on me! 
> 
> I will edit this the best I can, but I wrote and also edited this myself so please excuse any typos. If it's really bothersome then y'all can reach out to me if you feel it's exceptionally bad or if there is anything I could improve on. 
> 
> Disclaimer: (I hope I do this part right) I don't own or have any affiliations with these characters or this amazing show! 
> 
> The title is inspired by a Soundgarden song called Burden in my Hand. I'm a huge sucker for grunge music.
> 
> Craig and Deran are my fave characters in this show, especially Craig. And as much as I adore Craig, I also enjoy seeing him hurt or sick and I felt there was a bit of a lack of Craig hurt/comfort and sickfics, so I figured I'd make a contribution. I'm actually not sure if anything major did happen to Deran's leg, but I definitely was wondering why Craig was driving and not anyone else every time they show him in a vehicle after the crash. I thought that it was pretty obvious that he had a concussion, but that's just me! I might add another chapter or so if I can get my creative juices flowing for this fic again. In the meantime, thank you to anyone who reads this and I hope you enjoy! :)

"Guess I gotta get a new van," Deran said, stating the obvious.  
"Yeah I guess so," Craig agreed, a bit dazed.  
"Huh," Deran said nonchalantly.  
Both guys limped to turn and face each other.  
"How we gonna get home?" Deran asked, neither of them having thought that far in advance.  
"Dunno," Craig said. "It still drivable?"  
Deran sighed heavily. "I'll check."  
He started to make his way toward the crumpled van and Craig began following, unbeknownst to his brother. Deran looked back after about ten slow steps, noticing Craig limping behind him. Deran hobbled around to face him.  
"I got it, just wait here," he told Craig.  
Craig looked at him, wincing.  
"Who's gonna drive it, you? Your leg's all busted up," Craig said, still struggling towards the van.  
Deran shrugged. "I think I can manage driving it twenty yards to pick your mangled ass up," he said.  
Craig waved his hand dismissively, shaking his head even though it made his vision swim.  
"Jus' quicker this way, almost there," he said.  
Deran shrugged, quirking and eyebrow. "A'ight," he said and continued making his way to the van.  
They eventually made it to the van and Craig opened the driver's side door. Deran was already climbing into the passenger side as Craig bent forward to try and move the brick and rope they used to rig the van for the staged car addicent. Craig saw stars as he leaned a little too far and his stomach swirled a little. He straightened up a bit, blinking a few times. Deran was slumped in his seat, staring at the ground.  
"Hey," Craig said. "Can you help me move this... brick? Can't drive with that thing down there." He was having a bit of trouble making a sentence.  
"Huh?" Deran turned his head toward Craig then looked down toward the floor where the brick was. "Oh. Yeah, here," he grunted and leaned over, trying to shove the brick closer to Craig.  
Craig leaned his arms against the frame of the van and looked away, swallowing hard.  
"Here," Deran grunted. "There ya go."  
Craig sluggishly looked down at the brick mindlessly... 

"Hey," Deran said, snapping his fingers near Craig's face.  
Craig snapped out of his daze, blinking rapidly a handful of times.  
"You good?" Deran asked, the cigarette in his mouth flopping between his lips.  
"Uh, yeah," Craig said.  
"Okay," Deran said nodding his head to his brother, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He exhaled a cloud of smoke out the window.  
Craig just sighed and crouched down to pick up the brick.  
"Wait- uh..." Craig halted. "Where do I put it?"  
Deran looked at Craig, blinking.  
"I dunno, just throw it in the back or somethin' for now," he told his brother, who grunted and picked up the brick.  
He rolled it over the driver's seat headrest, which took a bit of muscle, and heard it plunk heavily onto the back seat. Exhaling, he blinked hard again and climbed into the driver's seat slamming the door shut behind him. He winced squeezing his eyes shut and pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead.  
"Come on man, should get outta here," Deran said nudging his brother.  
Craig pressed his foot down on the brake and put the van in reverse; surprisingly it was still running. He backed out away from the fence and headed out the way they came.  
"Might be best to stick to side roads and alleyways if you can," Deran offered.  
"Uh huh," Craig said absently.  
They turned out of the driveway and the lurching and bouncing of the van threw Craig's equilibrium off and he swerved, almost fishtailing. Deran winced, grabbing onto the door handle.  
"Holy shit dude," Deran said, concerned. "You sure you're okay?"  
Craig groaned leaning his head toward the smashed window, trying to get a bit of air. The nausea he felt earlier was returning.  
"Let's just get home," he said.  
"Whose home?" Deran questioned.  
"Who's closer?" Craig asked in response, not being able think straight enough to remember.  
"You are," Deran informed him skeptically.  
"Great," Craig said, trying to drive in a straight line as best he could.

They had been driving for about five minutes when Craig swerved the van really bad and groaned again, pulling over to the side of the road.  
"Dude," Deran stated.  
"Hang on, need a minute," Craig said closing his eyes and leaning foreword to rest his head on the steering wheel.  
"If your driving is gonna make you puke then I can drive," Deran told his brother.  
Craig pressed his forehead into the steering wheel a bit harder, trying to focus on the pain in his head rather than the nausea he was feeling.  
"Think anything would make me puke right now," he said, sounding a little shaky.  
"Well if we're gonna have to keep stopping cuz of your head then just let me drive, I'm fine enough anyway," Deran told Craig gently.  
Craig sighed knowing his brother was probably right. "Fine," Craig forced out as he felt his insides swirl uneasily. "Might have to pull over though."  
"That's fine. Switch me seats," Deran tugged the shoulder of Craig's shirt.  
Craig swayed a little from Deran's motion and his eyes snapped open, not expecting it. He sat up, trying to push Deran's hand away from him.  
"Ah, d-don't. Don't," he warned.  
"'Kay. Sorry." Deran pulled his hand away, motioning for his brother to get out of the van too. "C'mon."  
Craig exhaled nervously and opened the door, stepping out and stumbling a little. He tried to brace himself on the wrecked van and turned to limp his way to the other side of the vehicle, passing Deran on the way. Deran stepped around him, gently patting him on the arm. They both managed to make it to their opposite sides of the van, and Craig paused with his hand resting on the door handle. He felt his mouth begin to water and he swallowed hard. He took a step closer to the door and hung his head trying to breathe.  
"You coming?" Deran asked, already buckled in.  
Breathing through his nose, Craig could feel his insides squirming up towards his throat.  
"Uh..." Craig started to say sounding distracted.  
He turned around and leaned his lower back against the van, bracing his hands on his knees. His mouth watered more and he spat at the ground.  
"Hey, what- oh," Deran started to say, discovering his answer as he saw Craig spit again. "You okay?"  
"Yep," Craig said shortly, wincing.  
"'Kay," his brother said, flicking his lighter on and lighting another cigarette. He sat back into the seat. "Hurry up and puke then, I don't wanna be out here too long."  
Craig was panting lightly now, not really wanting to rush the inevitable. He put his hand over his stomach, almost able to feel it churning. He knew his brother was right.  
"Trying," he panted out.  
The smell of his brother's cigarette smoke wafting through and around the van was enough to push him over the edge and he felt his stomach lurch. He pitched forward, finally beginning to throw up. He gagged once, and again, which caused his stomach to clench and more vomit forced its way up. He put his hand back on his knee feeling very dizzy and off balance. Groaning and squeezing his eyes shut he spat into the dirt again. Craig cursed as he felt another rush of saliva pooling in his mouth. He coughed, feeling more vomit work its way into his throat and he heaved again, everything spinning. He heaved yet again but nothing came up this time. He spat out the awful taste in his mouth, and then spat once more for good measure.  
"Ugh," he said to himself, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and standing up straighter.  
"You done?" Deran called out.  
"Uh," Craig was still in a daze. "Think so? For now."  
"Well get in!" Deran exclaimed.  
Blowing a loose strand of hair out of his face, Craig pushed himself off the door of the van and turned himself around slowly so as not to lose his finicky sense of balance. He climbed into the wrecked van, a few pieces of glass clinking onto the ground as he pulled the door shut, wincing again at the loud noise. He leaned his head back against the head rest and sighed as Deran watched him.  
"Can we go now?" Deran asked, starting to get impatient.  
"Yeah, jus' go," Craig said dismissively, not fully grasping what his brother asked.  
Deran shifted the van into drive, looking at his elder brother.  
"You gonna let me know if you need me to pull over?" He asked Craig.  
"Yeah... yeah," Craig responded, sounding distant and exhausted.  
"Hey, no sleeping," Deran told Craig pulling back onto the road and driving to Craig's place.  
"Trying," Craig told him lazily.


End file.
